3D Canvas(tm) 6.5 3D Canvas is a freeware real-time 3D modeling and animation tool that incorporates a drag-and-drop approach to 3D modeling. Complex models can be constructed from simple 3D primitives, or created using 3D Canvas' Object Building Tools. Creating an animated scene is as simple as positioning the objects within your scene for each point in time in your animation. 3D Canvas will ensure that the resulting animation runs smoothly. No complicated scene timelines are required. Your animation can be stepped through a frame at a time, viewed in real-time, or recorded to a Video (AVI) file so that you can distribute your creation. Minimum System Requirements --------------------------- Pentium Processor 64 MB RAM Graphics Adapter with 16MB RAM Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP DirectX 8 Internet Explorer 5 or higher to read help Installation ------------ 3D Canvas is distributed as a Windows Installer document in order to reduce its download size. Most computers will be able to install 3D Canvas by double-clicking the 3DCanvas Windows Installer file. If double-clicking the 3DCanvas Windows Installer file does not install 3D Canvas you will need to download the Windows Installer. Windows Installer is available at: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=32831&area=search&ordinal=1 If installation still won't start when you double-click the 3DCanvas installation file follow this procedure: 1) Select "Run" from the Start Menu 2) Type the following in the "Open" entry box: msiexec /i "path\3DCanvas.msi" where "path" is the location of the 3D Canvas installation file. 3) Click "OK" If you receive a warning that your computer requires Microsoft Data Access Components 2.5 (MDAC) you can download it at: http://www.microsoft.com/data/download_250rtm.htm If you receive error 1904 "3dcsg.dll failed to register" you will need to download the latest version of Microsoft's DirectX which is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloads/default.asp To install 3D Canvas for all users of a computer: 1) Logon as an administrator 2) Select "Run" from the Start Menu 3) Type the following in the "Open" entry box: msiexec /i "path\3DCanvas.msi" ALLUSERS="2" where "path" is the location of the 3D Canvas installation file. 4) Click "OK", and follow the installation instructions 5) Run 3D Canvas. 3D Canvas will make a number of registry entries needed for the next step. 6) Run Regedit using the Start menu's "Run" function. 7) Right click on the key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Amabilis\3D Canvas" and select "Permissions" from the popup menu. 8) Select "Users" and click the "Allow-Full Control" check box. 9) click "OK" IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PREVIOUS USERS OF 3D CANVAS: Previous users must remember to uninstall the previous version of 3D Canvas prior to installation of a new version. What's New in 3D Canvas 6.5 --------------------------- o) Enhanced Boolean Operations (3D Canvas Pro only) Boolean operations now produce fewer faces and points. o) Renderer Improvements The 3D Canvas renderer now displays multi-layered translucency and transparency. o) Improved Divide Operation The Divide operation has a new option to allow for horizontal and vertical divisions. o) Enhanced Crease Operation The Crease operation now creases faces that have collinear edges. o) New Repair Geometry Operation (3D Canvas Pro only) The new Repair Geometry operation corrects problems with model geometry such as collinear edges and concave facets. o) Auto-Creasing 3D Canvas now automatically re-creases after many operations in order to correct creasing problems introduced by geometry changes. o) Enhanced MD2 Export (3D Canvas Plus/Pro only) The MD2 export can now export hierarchies as well as individual objects. o) New Consolidate Operation (3D Canvas Pro only) The new Consolidate operation automatically merges faces where the resulting merged faces are planar and convex. o) Microsoft Train Simulator Wizard Enhanced (3D Canvas Plus/Pro only) The Train Simulator Wizard now supports the export of custom levels of detail. It also supports the export of unconsolidated sub-objects for the creation of signals. o) New Merge Triangles Operation (3D Canvas Pro only) Automatically merges triangles where the resulting faces are planar and convex. o) New Create Unique Names Plug-in (3D Canvas Pro only) This new plug-in creates unique names for each group and object in the hierarchy selected. o) Enhanced Extrude Operation The Extrude operation can now extrude based on the average face direction. o) New De-triangulate Operation (3D Canvas Pro only) Automatically converts triangle faces to quadrilateral (four-sided) faces. o) Improved Solidify Operation (3D Canvas Plus/Pro only) The Solidify operation now uses a more sophisticated approach to solidifying objects. o) Operation Material Improvements All operations now retain material information. o) Improved Face Highlighting Faces selected while in wireframe mode are now more visible. o) Automatic Point Handle Resizing The handles for selected points are now resized based on the viewing position. o) Automatic Recovery of Selection after Undo Object, Face, Edge and Point selections are now recovered after an undo. o) Reduced Memory Usage Memory usage is reduced for scenes with large numbers of layers. o) Plug-ins Enhanced (3D Canvas Pro only) Plug-ins can now be applied to selected groups and hierarchies. o) New Scripting methods (3D Canvas Pro only) The CanvasApplication class now includes six new methods: GetSnapToMode, GetSnapToObjectInterval, GetSnapToPointInterval, GetCanvasMode, GetCanvasModeTime and GetTrainSimulatorUtilsPath. The CanvasGroup's ExportToTrainSimulator method now supports non-consolidated sub-objects. The CanvasObject class now includes three new methods: Reduce, Optimize and DeleteFace. The CanvasScene class now includes three new methods: GetSelectionType, GetCameraGroup, GetActiveFaceObjectIndex. It also supports multiple active groups and objects. o) Scene Script Now Supported (3D Canvas Pro) Each scene can now have its own script. This can be used as a controlling script for all scene components rather than having a script for each individual group and/or object. o) Third Party Operations (3D Canvas Pro only) Third party developers and users can now create operations for 3D Canvas Pro. o) Chamfer Operation Enhanced (3D Canvas Plus/Pro only) The Chamfer operation has a new parameter so that you can easily change the chamfer amount. o) New Ctrl-Key and Function Key Shortcuts All Tools, Rendering Modes and Highlight Modes can now be selected via Ctrl-Key combinations or Function keys. What's new in 3D Canvas 6.0.2.4 ------------------------------- This release corrects a problem where animated objects and skeletons were not being exported properly to Shockwave 3D. What's new in 3D Canvas 6.0.2.3 ------------------------------- o) Weld To Range Plug-in (3D Canvas Plus/Pro only) The Weld To Range plug-in is now included in the install for 3D Canvas Plus/Pro. It is used to weld together points that are within a specified range. o) Sampling of Plug-Ins from Paul Gausden's Plug-in Pack (3D Canvas Plus/Pro only) The Pipe Builder, Reset Animation Positions and Shift Center plug-ins from Paul Gausden's Plug-in Pack are available to 3D Canvas Plus and 3D Canvas Pro users. Thanks to Paul Gauden for providing these plug-ins for 3D Canvas Plus and 3D Canvas Pro users. What's new in 3D Canvas 6.0.2.2 ------------------------------- This is a maintenance release. There are no new functions. What's new in 3D Canvas 6.0.2.1 ------------------------------- This is a maintenance release. There are no new functions. What's new in 3D Canvas 6.0.2.0 ------------------------------- o) Support for Multi-user Systems. 3D Canvas now supports installation on multi-user systems. Note that due to this change textures and libraries are now stored in a folder called "3D Canvas" which is located in your "My Documents" folder. See above for more information on installation on multi-user systems. What's new in 3D Canvas 6.0.1.4 ------------------------------- This is a maintenance release. There are no new functions. What's new in 3D Canvas 6.0.1.3 ------------------------------- o) Point Gliding Points can now be moved along an edge or across a specific plane using the new point gliding function. o) New Taper Operation A new simpler Taper operation is now available. It now includes simple volume based controls to easily select the region of the object to taper. The old Taper operation is still available and is now called the Taper+ operation. What's new in 3D Canvas 6.0.1.2 ------------------------------- o) New Twist Operation (3D Canvas Pro/LP only) A new simpler Twist operation is now available. It now includes simple volume based controls to easily select the region of the object to twist. The old Twist operation is still available and is now called the Twist+ operation. What's new in 3D Canvas 6.0.1.1 ------------------------------- o) New Bend Operation A new simpler Bend operation ...
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